mitations, the product of small Viennese
factories, are to be found on the market.

[Illustration: Wegeli's mark.]

_Berlin._--The first Berlin porcelain was made by W. Casper Wegeli,
aided by workmen from other German factories, as early as 1750. This
business was unsuccessful and came to an end in 1757, but its
productions are highly prized on account of their rarity. Success only
came when Frederick the Great brought workmen, moulds and materials from
Meissen in 1761, and, becoming proprietor of the works in 1763, founded
the Royal Berlin Porcelain Manufactory. Though Meissen workmen and
methods had been imported, and the Meissen style governed the earliest
productions, Frederick's well-known _penchant_ for French art was
doubtless responsible for the fact that the rococo style of decoration
was more determinedly followed here than elsewhere in Germany. The
colour schemes of this ware are unusually simple, pieces being seldom
decorated in more than three colours, while a rose-coloured enamel, a
favourite colour with the great Frederick, is quite characteristic. The
Royal Berlin Factory passed under a cloud in the troubled condition of
the Prussian monarchy during the early years of the 19th century, and
down to 1870 it was content to follow in the wake of Sevres like most of
the other European factories. Since about the year 1880, however, it has
developed into the most scientific of European porcelain works, and it
was here that Seger manufactured his special porcelain, made to
reproduce the qualities of the finest Japanese wares. In spite of this
scientific success it must be remarked that the late Berlin porcelain is
artistically disappointing, being too exuberant for our taste and
recalling anything rather than porcelain in its treatment.

_Minor German Factories._--It is unnecessary to describe the
productions of all the German porcelain works of the 18th century, for
not only is there a strong family likeness, but all the works aimed at
producing pieces comparable with those of Meissen, Vienna or Berlin.
In every case the industry was established under the patronage or at
the direct charge of princes or great nobles, anxious to emulate the
success of the elector of Saxony or the king of Prussia, and generally
the enterprise came to an end with the death of a patron or from his
unwillingness to sustain the continued drains upon his purse.

The factory at Hochst was started about 1720 by wa